Asencion “Chencho” Gonzalez

Asencion was born on August 15, 1921, in Rio Grande City, Texas. He was the son of Encarnacion Gonzalez and Eluteria Pineda Gonzalez. Asencion graduated from Floresville High School in 1940 and was a private in the United States Army from August 12, 1942, to October 13, 1945, where he was assigned to the 35th Signal Light Construction Battalion, Company B. Asencion’s outfit landed on Omaha beach on June 7, 1944, to lay communication lines, just one day after the invasion of Normandy. After earning 5 Battle Stars, Asencion was honorably discharged from the Army. He went on to work for Central Power and Light Company, in Rio Grande City. It was here he met his wife, Genievieve Lucia, who preceded him in death in 2007. At the time, Genievieve was boarding at Asencion’s sister's family home. The two fell in love and married, then moved to Hebbronville, Texas. While in Hebbronville, Asencion was a foreman for his CPL line crew. He retired after 35 years with the company.

Asencion was a faithful member of Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Hebbronville and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 50 consecutive years. He served as commander of VFW Post 2011. In his later years, Asencion enjoyed watching the cardinals, hummingbirds and green jays that visited his backyard.

Asencion was preceded in death by his wife Genievieve Lucia Gonzalez; his sisters Irene G. Olivarez, Eva G. Pena and Teresa G. Garza; his brothers Encarnacion, Querino, Antonio and Lorenzo Gonzalez; and his grandson Matthew Solis.

Asencion is survived by his brother Gilberto P. Gonzales; sisters Maria Josefa “Fita” Reyna and Socorro Garcia; children, Rita Gonzalez, Zita Solis (Rosendo Solis), Leticia Gonzalez, Shon A. Gonzalez, Mary Grace White (Mike White) and Randolph Gonzalez (Minerva G. Gonzalez); grandchildren Sean C. Gonzalez, Erin I. Gonzalez, Michelle M. Martinez, Cynthia "Cindy" A. Kurtenbach (Joshua Kurtenbach), Teresa "Terry" N. Martinez, Christopher Blake Jackson, Peter Holland White (Megan White), John Randolph Gonzalez (Chelsea Cook, fiance) and Clarissa C. G. Fenker (Mark Fenker); and great-grandchildren Jay Sebastian Solis, Julian Michael Solis, Ava Lucia Kurtenbach, Victoria Kurtenbach, Chloe B. Gonzalez, Noah Burkhalter, Raleigh Grace Brown, Arianna Julie River Jackson, Eli Williams White and Holland Montgomery White.

The Holy Rosary will be celebrated on Thursday, October 1, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. at Funeraria Del Angel-Howard Williams. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Hebbronville, Tex. Interment will follow at the New Hebbronville Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Shon Gonzalez, Randy Gonzalez, Sean C. Gonzalez, John R. Gonzalez, Larry Gonzalez, Fermin Garza, Rene Reyna and Jimmy Garcia. Special thanks to Asencion’s caregivers, Alicia Ramirez, Esperanza Perez, Dr. Jose Gutierrez and Dr. Suraj Kamat.